Two goals in the final ten minutes helped Soham to their biggest home win of the season as they defeated Redbridge 4-1 at the Lane.

Having drawn 1-1 at basement side Barkingside last weekend, the Greens made four changes to the side which hosted second bottom Motormen as Josh Townshend, Craig Hammond and Marcus Hall returned, whilst there was a debut for keeper Brendan Brown following his dual-registration signing from Histon.

In the reverse fixture in October, Redbridge recorded a 3-1 home win.

The game was only five minutes old when Soham were forced into an early change with George Darling coming on replacing the injured Marcus Hall. The first half was played at a quick pace as Portway, Coxi-Sebastfao and Relizani all fired wide with early efforts. It was the hosts that opened the scoring in the 19th minute, when following good build up play in and around the area, the ball was played across the Redbridge area to Ross Paterson, who after taking a touch placed his shot under Chafer. Moments later Darling had the opportunity to double the lead, however from Chadwick’s pull-back, the substitute was denied by a low Chafer save. As the half progressed, the play switched ends with Lawton rising to win the ball, only for his header to be keeper out by the keeper, but it was the visitors that finished the stronger as Brown and Gent combined to keep out Portway, who also was put wide from the edge of the area, whilst Brown made a full-stretch save to push Conelius’ shot wide of goal.

Soham had a couple of early efforts in the second half with Relizani placing wide before Redbridge levelled in the 61st minute, when Soham failed to clear the ball allowing Portway to play a cross-field ball to Reside Coxi-Sebastfao who from 30 yards out, was given plenty of room to lob Brown, and despite the keeper getting a hand to the ball, was unable to keep the shot out. But only five minutes later the Greens were back in front when they were awarded a penalty after Concelius brought down Paterson inside the area for which the defender received a caution; Salim Relizani converted the spot-kick sending Chafer the wrong way. The hosts introduced both Williams and Sharman as they started to increase pressure on the visiting goal as Darling placed narrowly wide before scoring the third in the 83rd minute when Relizani delivered a low freekick into the area from the right, with Will Lawton getting in front of his marker to score at the near post. Relizani and Williams both came close before Soham scored a fourth in the first minute of stoppage time when following good movement, Williams turned to deliver the ball into the area where Ryan Sharman advanced to fire into the roof of the net. That wasn’t to be the end of the attacks with Watson having a shot deflected wide just before the final whistle.

report courtesy of Soham Town Rangers F.C.